The causes for increase in ferritin could be because of • Iron overload • Acute inflammatory conditions • Liver disease • Alcohol excess Causes of iron overload can be because of • Hereditary haemochromatosis • Hereditary aceruloplasminemia(Wilson’s disease) • Transfusion overload • Excess dietary iron • Porphyria cutanea tarda • Ineffective erythropoiesis (Sideroblastic anaemia, Thalassemia) Causes of high serum ferritin without iron overload are • Liver disease – non-alcoholic hepatitic steatosis or viral hepatitis • Alcohol excess • Chronic inflammatory conditions – Rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease – Bacterial infections • Malignancy especially haematological • Thyrotoxicosis • Familial hyperferritinemia and cataract syndrome. It is important that your physician rules out all the above causes for increase in ferritin. The greying of hair that you are noticing along with sparsity of hair can be due to underlying causes or can be premature canitus. I believe it is not an emergency and you can consult your dermatologist in 3wks,get a thorough history,physical examination and investigations and then get treated appropriately.